LHR-BGI

It looks like the BGI is going to LHR for a few months. I wonder if its to trial how they can fill the BGI flights with the new config?




Heathrow - Bridgetown

VS029 LHR 1535 BGI 2020 B744 11/12/07-11/03/08
VS029 LHR 1250 BGI 1735 B744 12/12/07-16/03/08
VS029 LHR 1405 BGI 1850 B744 14/12/07-17/03/08

[mitchja]

Interesting move. I wonder what's behind it [:?]

Bit of a pain if pax have already booked their connecting flights to/from LGW though. I got stung by this when the MIA flights moved to LHR a couple of years ago.

Regards

I would hedge a bet that VS have a new Air Jamaica slot to fill at LHR for a few months and BGI is the easiest route to move.

Long term future of BGI must lie at LGW.

BGI must be VH's second most popular route behind MCO. Why would they build the new V-Room if one of their premium route's were to be moved to LHR....

Annoyingly, the VS30 now leaves BGI at 22.55, very inconvenient as this means less time to enjoy the PE service before sleeping. Do we know the reason for the change?

I would agree with Tail- I think this is so that they can keep hold of the LHR slot from the JM flights.

THis begs the question: Why didn't VS get someone to babysit the slot?

I also read that the Kingston flight will be ex LGW anyway. Can anyone confirm this?

[Neil]

Will - the Kingston flights are ex LGW, VS069 LGW-KIN on a Tuesday and Saturday.

Neil

Originally posted by Neil
Will - the Kingston flights are ex LGW, VS069 LGW-KIN on a Tuesday and Saturday.

Neil

So that means that VS have some spare slots. Any ideas what they will be used for?

[mitchja]

Another LHR B744 is over at LGW doing the BGI flights again so maybe VITB is right in thinking this is a trial for a bigger J cabin on the BGI route [:?]

Regards

Bummer, just missed out on Vport by a week!

The BGI flights are going on a LGW 744 from heathrow...sorry to dissapoint but no vport. Aparently we have been given new slots so have to use them.

So reading between the lines here.

The slots are the ex JM ones that were used by JM to fly to Kingston. THis service is now operated by VS from LGW.

VS want to use these ex JM slots with a flight or an additional frequency but cant add frequency or start a new route currently so BGIs brought in to babysit.

Question is come March will we see:
- VS give the slots to another airline to babysit (doubt it or you would have done it straight away).
- Add frequency to a current route (IAD, ORD, NYC for example).
- Another new route opened up. (I am struggling to see where the plane will come from but if they do it could well be Seoul).

This of course pure guess work on my part but will be interesting.

It could be feasible that VS have a/c that become available for extra services as of early next year.

A346 PE refits took place through the back end of last year and into May/June time of this year.

A343 PE refits then followed over the course of this summer.

LHR B744's are currently being converted to the new config.

LGW B744's are to due follow for new PE and increased J seating.


VS haven't had a full complement of a/c available for daily Ops since the end of 2006. It is possible that the last of the re-fits to the LGW/MAN B744's could be finished by next March.

If so extra a/c become available to the fleet for the first time in 18 months subject to any other routine maintenance that is scheduled for next year.

Can these be used with the new LHR slots as of March...[:?]

Originally posted by willd
So reading between the lines here.
Question is come March will we see:

- Another new route opened up. (I am struggling to see where the plane will come from but if they do it could well be Seoul).

No new routes for a couple of years i'm afraid!

Just to let you all know there has still been NO decision on the LGW fleet.

I have it on good authority the LGW fleet will be left with the current config and old W & Y seats. This is due to our lease running out on these A/C.

A decision will be made soon, as to either new A/C to replace the ex Alitalia 744's, or us keeping the A/C and re-fitting them.

Originally posted by Lipstick

No new routes for a couple of years i'm afraid!

Source?

We all thought that earlier in the year and then up cropped Kingston. VS clearly brought the slots with the intention of doing something with them.

Also we were told no expansion of VS when the 346 order was defered and then all of a sudden along comes a 787 order, a bidding process for either extra 380s and 748s plus new routes to ORD, NBO, MRU and Kingston.

Guess what I am saying is- that whilst you could be right- all airlines have a habbit of changing things depending on market situations.

Open Skies adds an extra dimension and I am sure VS, who have fought so hard for a good selection of LHR services, are not about to let AF, DL, LH et al all come and steel there pax.

Originally posted by vscss


A decision will be made soon, as to either new A/C to replace the ex Alitalia 744's, or us keeping the A/C and re-fitting them.

guess this all depends on how quickly the respective plane manufactorers in Seatle and Toulouse can get ex AZ 744 replacement aircraft of the production line and into service.

^^ I work for VS.....and in a position to know this for sure